Loading gun



Patented Aug. 16, 1927.

UNITED ASTATES 1,639,013 PATENT OFFICE.

KINNEY TJ'OSSEM, OF'PAULLINA, `IOA LOADING GUN.

Application filed October 25, 1926. Serial No. 143,948.

My invention relates to a loading gun to be used for purposes analogous to that of the ordinary grease (run and it is my object to provide sucli a gun which is particularly adaptable to use a material such as ice cream.

More specifically, it is my object to provide a loading gun having means for cutting a material sucli as ice cream and propelling it into the gun. l

Another object of my invention is to provide such a gun in which the tendency of the cutting member to reduce the bulk of ther ice cream by compression upon loading and unloading the gun, is largely overcome by the combination of such a propelling element with a moving piston for tending to draw vthe ice creamwithin `the gun by4 suction. y

A still further object of the invention is to synchronize t-he action -of the suction device with the cutting and propelling element in such a way that the latter tends to move the material at a greater rate than the former, in lorder to minimize the tendency for air to enter between the material fed toward the piston by the propelling device and the piston.

Another object of my invention is to provide an arrangement in which the movement of the piston is accomplished by a shaft which also carries the propelling device and in which the movement of the piston may be stopped at the extremity of said shaft remote from the propelling device, while the rotation of the shaft continues. l

-lVith these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of my device, whereby the objects contemplatedare attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which: Y v

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal, sectional view through the gun. Y f

Fig. 2 is a transverse, sectional view't-aken on the line 2 -2 of Fig. 1. n

Fig 3 is a sectional viewy through the lower end of the gun with agreasel nozzle attached. l p f f Fig.v 4 is a plan view ofthe cutter, the propeller shaft bein shown in section.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1. f y. Y

I have used the, reference character 10'to indicate generally the'r'cylindrical barrel of my gun, which may be made of any suitable metal. To the upper end of the barrel is secured a handle shank 11, carrying a handle member 12. The lower end of the barrel is circular in cross sectionl as at 13 and the body of the barrel above the circular portion 13 is in cross section circular during a majority of its circumference as at 14 in Fig. 2, and extruded into an ova-l shapeas at 15 at one side. y lA bracket 16, yoke shaped, having the depending arm 17, is secured to the upper end of the barrel by means of said arms.

Through a central opening'in the bracket yis extended a shaft 18 and a pair of collars 1 9 and 20, respectively, are secured to the shaft 18, one on either sideof the bracket 16, to support the shaft relative to said bracket while allowing it to rotate. Where the shaft enters the barrel 10, it is provided with a reduced neck portion 21 and beyond the neck 21, the shaft is threaded as at 22.

A piston 23, having a shape identical with the interior of thebody portion of the barrel 10, is received in said portion of the barrel for up and down sliding movement therein. A threaded opening 24, in the piston 23,

v receives the thread.

The neck 21 is of sufficiently smalldiame- -ter to be received through the threadedopen- Ablade tends to move the material somewhat faster than vthe lonritudinal movement of thepiston V23 in the iarrel produced by the rotation of the shaft. y

It will now be seen that, the lower end of the gun being forced int-o a mass ofl ice cream, and the shaft rotated rapidly by means of the crank handle 28, provided at the upper end thereof, the ice cream will be lcut by the screw 25 and forced upwardly, kwhile simultaneously the.y piston 23 will be moved upwardly by the rotation of thel threads 22 within the' opening 24, creating a partial vacuum to litt the ice cream within the barrel and relieve its weight from the screw 25. I lind that the piston alone is insufficient to pull the ice cream within the barrel ot the gun. This is due partly to the tact that the ice cream is highly porous and air can readily pass through it, and partly due to the tact that the ice cream, after standing in a container packed with ice, as is ordinarily done, becomes set to such an extent that it is practically solid rather than tluid in consistency.

By combining, therefore, the screw with the piston, the ice cream may be loaded into the barrel of the gun, tollowing the piston clear to the top of the barrel, and being very little compressed.

By using only a screw, the ice cream could be loaded in the gun, but due to the porosity ot' the ice cream, already referred to, it will be compressed and reduced in bulk. It is well known that ice cream can be compressed so as to diminish very substantially in bulk trom its original form after leaving the freezer. This loss of bulk has been constantly encountered by retail dealers in ice cream and continually constitutes a problem in the handling of ice cream across the counter.

The present invention aims particularly to provide an instrument for quickly loading a cylindrical carton such as the ordinary cardboard size carton, used in carrying ice cream from the store.

The carton is partially shown in Fig. 1 at 29 and is received within av nozzle formed by a sleeve 30 threaded at 31 upon the barrel 10. rlhe lower edge ot the barrel 1() forms a shoulder to act as a stop tor the upper end ot the carton 29 and the wall 10 is ot such thickness as to bring the inner surface, thereof, flush with the inner surface of the carton.

Alfter filling the gun by rotation of theV shaft in oneI direction, the contents may be discharged by reversing the direction ot rotation, .the piston now serving as the positive means tor forcing the ice cream downwardly and the screw in its turn, serving to clear the neck ot the gun so as to avoid compression ot the ice cream. It will be noted in this connection that the neck portion of will cut away the ice cream, which is being pushed downwardly, at a rate somewhat faster thanthe downward iiow and the solid column of ice cream will never',l in its downward travel, be forced against the shoulder formed between the neck and body ot the container.

Vhere the gun is to be used tor grease I provide a nozzle 82, threaded onto the end of the barrel in the same manner as the sleeve 30, and having the usual flexible hose member 33 tor connection to an automobile fitting. y

It will be understood that it is somewhat diiticult to perfectly synchronize the action ot the screw 25 upon the material with that ot the piston 23 and in order to insure packing ot' the barrel, the operator may, it he desires, continue rotating the screw atter the piston 23 has become disengaged from the threaded portion 22 of the shaft. Thus the column ot material may be raised upwardly to clear any air space that may have formed between the piston and the material.

It will be noted that atter the piston has lett the threads, that sutlicient opening will be lett between the reduced portion 21 and the opening 24 to allow escape of this air.

In order to insure re-.engaging of the piston with the shatt, I provide a lever Se having two arms 35, each pivoted to a pairA ot arms 36 depending from oneside ot the bracket 16. A pair of springs 37 are secured to buttons 38 formed upon the arms 35 and extend downwardly to engage the piston 23. rllhe handle of the lever 84 extends toward the handle 12 and, being positioned'between the bracket and the upper edge ot the barrel, the latter serves as a stop to limit its downward movement while the former prevents .itsmoving to a position where it would interfere with the handle 28.

It the downward movement ot the lever wereY not limited, the action ot the springs would be centered against one side-ot the piston, should the lever be moved below a reasonable distance from its horizontal position. By resiliently pressing the piston against the threaded rod andv then rotating the rod, I find that the threads will readily enter the opening 24.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement ot the parts ot my invention without departing trom the real spirit and purpose ot my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims, any modified ,forms ot structure or use of mechanical equivalents, which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I' claim as my invention:

1. In a loading gun, a barrel, an axially mounted threaded rod therein, a piston threaded-upon said rod and slidably but nonrotatably mounted in said barrel, and a screw secured tothe rod,` between the piston and the mouth ot the barrel, said screw having a greater pitch than that ot the threads upon the rod, said rod at a point remote from the screw, having a reduced neck to be received by the' piston at the upper limit of its moveinc ment and to allow the screw to continue rotation after movement of the piston has stopped.

2, In a loading gun, a barrel, an axiallyl A ment, to allow the rod to continue rotation after movement of the piston has stopped, and a lever fulcrumed at the said remote end of the barrel, carrying a resilient member adapted to engage the piston when the latter is at its upper limit of movement, upon depression of the lever.

3. In a loading gun, a barrel provided at its upper end with a bracket, spaced from the edge thereof, a rod journalled in said bracket and having a threaded portion extending axially through the barrel, a piston threaded upon said rod and slidably but nonrotatably mounted in the barrel, the rod having a reduced neck between the threaded portion and the bracket, to be received by the piston opening to allow the rod to continue rotation after movement of the .piston l has stopped, a lever pivoted to the bracket between the bracket and barrel, and a resilient element interposed between the lever and piston, adapted to be compressed therebetween upon depression of the lever when the piston is at its upper extremity of movement. Y

4. In a loading gun, a barrel provided at its upper end with a bracket, spaced from the edge thereof, a rod journalled in said bracket and having a'threaded portion extending axially through the barrel, a. piston threaded upon said rod and slidably but nonrotatably mounted in the barrel, the rod having a reduced neck between the threaded portion and the bracket, to be received by the piston opening to allow the rod to continue rotation after movement of the piston has stopped, a lever pivoted yto the bracket between the bracket and barrel, and a resilient element secured to the lever and extending toward the piston, adapted to be compressed therebetween upon depression of the lever when the piston is at its upper extremity of movement.

5. In a loading gun, a barrel, an axially mounted threaded rod therein and a piston threaded upon said rod and slidably but non-rotatably mounted in the barrel, said rod having at a point remote from the mouth of the barrel, a reduced neck to be received by the piston at the upper limit of its movement, to allow the rod to continue rotation after movement of the piston has sto ped, a

lever fulcrumed to the said remote en of the barrel, and a resilient element interposed between the lever and piston, adapted to be compressed therebetween upon depression of the lever when the piston is at its upper extremity of movement.

6. In a loading gun, a barrel, an axially mounted, threaded rod therein, a piston threaded upon said rod and slidably but non-rotatably mounted in said barrel and ka screw secured to the rod between the piston and the mouth of thev barrel, said screw being of substantially the same diameter as the barrel.

7. In a loading gun, a barrel, an axially mounted threaded rod therein, a piston threaded upon said rod and slidably but non-rotatably mounted in said barrel and a screw secured to the rod between the piston and the mouth of the barrel, said screw being of substantially the same diameter as the barrel and having a circumference less than 360.

8. In a loading gun, a barrel, an axially mounted, threaded rod therein, a piston threaded upon said rod and slidably but non-rotatably mounted in said barrel, a screw secured to the rod between the piston and the mouth of the barrel, said rod having, at a point remote from the mouth of the barrel, a reduced neck to be received by the piston at the upper limit of its movement and a resilient element to engage the piston at said upper limit and to urge it toward the threaded portion of the rod.

Signed this 26th day of September, 1926, at Paullina, in the county of OBrien and State of Iowa. f

KINNEY TJOSSEM. 

